I'm sure I will be corrected, but I believe you would need a tune for any air filter. For the money a tune requires, you may want to go with a short ram or CAI depending on your power goals.
Just my thoughts.

A drop in doesn't require a tune for this, its just a filter inside the stock box.
Honestly if you feel like you have the need to go for it, but honestly your just spending the money for a filter that looks pretty but no benefits from it, I threw one in mine just to say I did and could say what it did.
Nothing happen, if you wanna spend the money, go get yourself a CAI like that Shane said.
But also think a CAI or Short Ram, Plus a tune or an AP gets pricy, so if your on a budget or don't want to spend around 600-1,000 for an AP and Intake then go with a stock filter and save the money from a filter that looks pretty outside your airbox that no one will see

A drop in doesn't require a tune for this, its just a filter inside the stock box.
Honestly if you feel like you have the need to go for it, but honestly your just spending the money for a filter that looks pretty but no benefits from it, I threw one in mine just to say I did and could say what it did.
Nothing happen, if you wanna spend the money, go get yourself a CAI like that Shane said.
But also think a CAI or Short Ram, Plus a tune or an AP gets pricy, so if your on a budget or don't want to spend around 600-1,000 for an AP and Intake then go with a stock filter and save the money from a filter that looks pretty outside your airbox that no one will see

Thanks for the info. I was thinking about getting the panel filter till I was able to get the Cobb Short Ram Intake. I didn't know whether or not there were actually any benefits over the OEM filter. I'll save the money for a good intake.

We would rather you ask about something your thinking about then getting it and having to turn around and ask us how to fix your problem haha!
and honestly I would suggest you to go with an AEM Cold air intake instead of the Cobb hot box

You can buy a lifetime supply of paper air filters for a few bucks. They work great when they're not totally clogged up from age. No gains to be had on the intake side of an anywhere near stock WRX except the elbow.

I always get a k&n drop in filter for every car I have ever purchased simply for fact that ill never have to buy a air filter again for that vehicle. I had one on my wrx when I first bought it. Now I run the k&n typhoon Sri (tuned for). One day ill probably change to a aps cai next round of parts i get tuned for.

We would rather you ask about something your thinking about then getting it and having to turn around and ask us how to fix your problem haha!
and honestly I would suggest you to go with an AEM Cold air intake instead of the Cobb hot box

That's why this is one of my favorite forums when it comes to my newbie questions for my WRX. Appreciate the help and info from all of you guys. I will check it out, I have been seeing that most people recommend the AEM Cold Air Intake over Cobb.

Yes it does, I have the Cobb AP V3 and once you get the AP, you will download the AP Manager and you will download the stage 1 + AEM Intake and it will put you around 17.5 lb of boost unlike hitting around 14.3 on stock everything!